Spanish-Language Baptism Traditions

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-06-2005
Spanish-Language Baptism Traditions
2
Sun, 09-10-2006 - 10:32pm

Does anyone remember when babies where baptized with an extra saint's name title, like "de la Merced" for Our Lady of Mercy, "de la Paz = Our Lady of Peace," "de la Santísima Trinidad" for the Holy Trinity, etc.? I think this has gone out of fashion, but my older relatives still have it on their birth and baptismal certificates.

How many names can go on a birth certificate in the United States?




Edited 9/10/2006 10:34 pm ET by ticairis
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-29-2005
Sun, 09-10-2006 - 10:39pm

My father and uncle picked their own second middle names (which were then added to the birth certificate), but I'm not sure what age this would have been because I wasn't raised Catholic. I think it was at confirmation, but I could be wrong. Incidentally, they picked each others' first mns as their second mns, so they are Richard James Michael and George Michael James (yes, my uncle was named George Michael LOL). ;)

I do have a very-devout Catholic friend and all her children are given a fn and mn at birth and then a second mn (which seems to be whatever saint's day the child was born on, from what I understand) at the christening. Oh, and I asked her about it once and I'm pretty sure she said they file that name along with the others on the birth certificate.

~Kelli


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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-06-2005
Sun, 09-10-2006 - 10:44pm
That's good to know. I'm not sure if there is a legal limit for the birth certificate, other than what will fit on the line.